Breakers had their chances on June 3 in the SSCIF D-4 semifinal game at Kendall Field in Torrance with plenty of “if’s” and “what if’s” to go around. Laguna lost a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning before losing 4-3 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to the eventual section champions. The Tartars went on to crush South Torrance 11-0 on Saturday for the title. Breakers scored their first run in the third inning as back-to-back doubles by Jake Smith and Preston Grand Pre gave Laguna a 1-0 lead. Two more runs were added in the fifth inning as starting pitcher Jacob Gurwell gave up two walks to Dante Faicchio and Jake Smith. The hosts brought in a freshman pitcher who gave up a double to Grand Pre for one run and a single to Cal Cochran for the other. Laguna’s lead was lost with a series of a hit, a walk, an error on a bunt, a strikeout, a hit batter, a full count walk, and a clean single. Ace Grant Wilhelm took the mound and it only took one pitch for Torrance to ground into a double play and the side was retired. The remaining three innings were a pitching duel between Torrance’s Kyle Smith (13-1) and Wilhelm (13-1) with Smith earning the game winning hit.

The team’s banquet was held on June 4 and the coaches skipped making any team awards for this season.

Breakers lose five talented players to graduation in Garrett Burk, Preston Grand Pre, Richie Nunis, Grant Wilhelm, and Steven Harrison but will return a solid core as Laguna will attempt to extend their record 34 league game win streak in 2015. Coach Mike Bair has already set the Laguna career win record (71-15) in his three seasons as Laguna concluded their 76th season of baseball.

Noah Blanton was also named this past week First Team All-Orange County by the OC Register joining his uncle Kurt (1985) and Dane (1990) as first team selections for this honor. Makenzie Fischer was named by USA Water Polo to the 13 player roster USA Women’s Senior National Team for the upcoming FINA World League Super Final in China. Also making the team was Annika Dries ’09.

Playoff Changes for Next Year:

The Southern Section recently released the final “league equity” placements for the sports that are not in enrollment based playoff groups (The three sports in enrollment based playoff groupings are cross country, basketball, and track). The division league assignments are for the next two-school year: 2014-15, and 2015-16 and six sports were moved.

Fall Sports:

Football stays in the Southern Division and the Pacific Coast League is gone but the PCL is replaced by the North Hills Division of the Century League. Football members El Dorado, Canyon/Anaheim, Brea-Olinda, and El Modena (average enrollment over 2,100) are actually stronger teams than the PCL schools so there should be little change to the competitive balance in football playoffs.

Boys Water Polo was demoted to D-3 (of seven divisions) after two years and two semifinal appearances in D-2 due to the overall weakness of the Orange Coast League. Breakers were D-3 champions in 2010 and 2011 and should be the pre-season favorite for 2014.

Last year Girls Volleyball failed to advance to SSCIF quarterfinals for only the third time in forty playoff attempts and were rewarded with their first demotion in 43 seasons of play to D-2AA (third highest of ten divisions). Breakers were in D-2AA in 2006 and 2007 when the new Orange Coast League was initially assigned to this equity based division after enrollment based playoffs were voted in 2006 out by the Southern Section. Laguna responded with back-to-back section titles beating Corona del Mar in 2006 and Bishop Montgomery in 2007.

Winter Sports:

Boys Soccer moves up from D-5 of seven divisions to D-4 while Girls Soccer makes the reverse move from D-4 to D-5.

Spring Sports:

Boys and Girls Swimming makes the only move returning to D-2 (of four divisions) after six seasons at the lower D-III level.